Council Speaker Seeking Dismissal of Plummer Suit

Lawyers for the City Council speaker will ask a judge tomorrow to dismiss a $1 million lawsuit filed by Council Member Charles Barron's former chief of staff, Viola Plummer, who claims she was wrongfully fired by Speaker Christine Quinn.

Ms. Quinn suspended Plummer, 70, after the aide said in May that she would stop Council Member Leroy Comrie's run for president of Queens even "if it takes an assassination." Plummer later refused to comply with Ms. Quinn's demand that she sign a written statement pledging better behavior before returning to work. Mr. Barron tore up a copy of the statement at a press conference outside City Hall.

In July, Plummer sued Ms. Quinn, alleging that the suspension inflicted "severe mental anguish and emotional distress," and constituted racial discrimination. Mr. Barron yesterday criticized a previous court decision to allow Plummer's suspension to remain in effect while the lawsuit moves forward, and said that legislative leaders should not be able to veto individual members' staff.

"Can you imagine Nancy Pelosi calling up Charles Rangel and firing his chief of staff?" Mr. Barron said yesterday. "Or Sheldon Silver telling an assemblyman that your staff member works for me and I'm firing him? Or Joe Bruno?" He added that if the suit goes forward, Ms. Quinn would be called to testify.

A lawyer representing Plummer, Roger Wareham, said Plummer would consider dropping the suit if Ms. Quinn were to apologize, reinstate her as Mr. Barron's chief of staff, and pay her for the time she has been suspended.

A spokesman for Ms. Quinn declined to comment on the lawsuit.